Icon Picture lost after running AOL's "Computer Check-Up"

I use AOL (version 9.0), but I also use Internet Explorer 6.0 for some of its useful features, including multiple windows and icon images on 'Favourites'.  I use a mix of site-supplied icons and icons I've attached myself.

I've just run AOL's Computer Check-Up, which found nothing wrong, but which also eliminated every site-supplied picture on a 'favourite', serring them to the default value.  Those I had linked myself were fine, but that works only for icons I possess on my own computer.  Anything that came from a site is gone, without giving me the chance to say whether or not I trust it.

Does anyone know why this happens?  And any way to stop it?

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A view from the UK

The icons next to Favorites in IE are basically little image files, named favicon.ico. When you visit a page this image will be downloaded to the Temp Internet Files folder. It may be that your AOL Computer Checkup clears the Temp Int Files folder and thus deleted the favicon.ico files. If so simply visiting the sites again should restore them.

Greg Palmer
Free Software for Adminstrators
http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

Thanks for the reply.  But I regularly clear out my temp folders, and this has never caused an icon to vanish.  Also visiting the site again does not restore them, nor downloading the favourite again.  It must be some security measure.

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A view from the UK

http://www.thesitewizard.com/archive/favicon.shtml for details - Maybe you have to bookmark the site again. I'm going to do a quick test now.

Greg Palmer
Free Software for Adminstrators
http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

OK tests show that the favicon.ico files are indeed stored in c:\documents and settings\profile name\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files

Deleting from that location will infact remove the icon from the favorites list.

To retrieve the favorite icon you have to delete the favorite and then visit the site again and bookmark it. If you visit the site from your favorite and then try and bookmark again it will not work.

you must physically type the URL into IE. To stop it happening again I can only see one option, Dont run that AOl Checkup software. Normally I would say set deny permisions on the TIF folder however this is something that is not possible on that folder.

Greg Palmer
Free Software for Adminstrators
http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

The remarkable Kelly Theriot has some notes that could possibly help:

Source:  http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_abc.htm

Custom icons are lost when you clean your cache. These are known as favicons.ico (Favorite Icons) and they normally will only last until your Internet Explorer Temp files are cleared.

This program will allow you to save the favicons.ico (Favorite Icons) permanently in a different folder and re-associate your favorites with the stored icons.

FavOrg - Restore and Save Favorite Icons (Line 108)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

FavesToGo - Save Favorites Quickly (Line 108)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Workaround:

Create a folder called Icon Selection. Move all of the renamed favicons to this folder placed in the root directory of C. Right click on the Icon, select Browse and navigate to your Icon Selection folder. Choose the renamed favicon and
click ok. These icons will be permanent.

When you right click on an icon, select browse and navigate to the Icon Selection folder. Choose the renamed favicon you want and click ok. Your customized icons will be permanent.

Thanks.  What I've done is copy the Favicons from the temp folder to a regular folder, changing the name each time.  So if anything gets lost, I can easily retreave it.

With all of the Malware about, I do feel the need to go on using AOL's security, irritating though it often is.

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A view from the UK